What SkillCat does

SkillCat is a mobile-first e-learning platform that delivers simulation-based certification training for skilled trades professionals, operating since at least 2020 (with the firmographic founding year listed as 2021) and registered as SkillCat, INC in New York. The platform offers 150+ courses across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, maintenance, appliance repair, oil & gas, welding, solar, crane operation, and forklift operation, accessible primarily through dedicated iOS and Android applications. It is an EPA-authorized Section 608 certification provider (since November 2020), IACET-accredited, and issues industry-recognized credentials including EPA 608, EPA 609, OSHA-10, NATE Ready-to-Work, and CPO alongside HVAC, electrical, and plumbing diploma programs. Proprietary technical components include 3D virtual simulations for hands-on trade practice (notably for oil & gas), AI-proctored EPA 608 exams with 1–2 business day human proctoring review, photo-ID-verified NATE exam delivery, and a B2B admin dashboard with 90-day trainee access windows and CSV-based bulk onboarding.

The business model is dual-sided. On the consumer side, individual trade professionals and career changers self-serve through the app store and pay $10/month or $96/year for full course access (with a 7-day free trial). On the B2B side, contractors and trade service firms purchase seat-based subscriptions and manage employee training through the EPA Dashboard and SkillCat Training Dashboard with progress tracking and certificate reporting. Supplemental revenue is generated via transaction fees for paid certification exams (NATE Ready-to-Work at $60 first attempt / $45 retake) and individually purchased OSHA courses delivered through a ClickSafety integration on desktop. Distribution is direct (no resellers), combining app store listings, organic social, partner-driven earned media, and a small direct sales motion for enterprise contractors. Named enterprise customers include Hobart (HVAC), Morrissey Hospitality, and Kalos, while the talent network channels graduates to unnamed oil & gas employers.

Name

SkillCat

Legal name

SkillCat, INC

Website

https://skillcatapp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SkillCat is a mobile-first e-learning platform delivering 150+ simulation-based certification courses across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and oil & gas trades, serving 300,000+ individual learners via $10/month subscriptions and trade service employers via seat-based B2B plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Trade Training and Certification

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop, Soil & Agronomy Technician Training (EDAOAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Skills Assessment & Talent/Employability Testing Platforms (EDAFADAM), Machine Safety, Guarding & Industrial Equipment Safety (EDABAEAG), Intelligent Practice & Mastery Learning Platforms (Spaced Repetition, Skill Drills) (EDAFAFAD)

Keywords

• Trade certification training
• Mobile e-learning platform
• Vocational training programs
• Skilled trades certification
• Simulation-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Monthly Subscription: Individual users subscribe at $10/month for access to all courses, simulations, and training content. This is the primary self-serve revenue stream for consumers and individual trade professionals.
2. Individual Annual Subscription: Users can opt for an annual plan at $96/year, providing a discounted rate compared to the monthly subscription for committed learners.
3. B2B Company Seat-Based Subscription: Companies purchase plans that cover employee seats on the training dashboard. Admins add employees individually or via bulk CSV upload. Re-adding a deactivated employee counts as a new active seat and is reflected in the next billing cycle.
4. NATE Ready-to-Work Exam Fees: The NATE Ready-to-Work certification exam is a paid add-on: $60 for the first attempt and $45 for each additional attempt. This is separate from the subscription and is processed within the app before exam access is granted.
5. OSHA Individual Course Purchase: OSHA courses are purchased individually by employees (not included in company seats), with companies typically reimbursing the cost afterward. Accessed on desktop only via ClickSafety integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SkillCat operates a mobile-first e-learning platform that delivers self-paced, simulation-based trade certification training across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, maintenance, oil and gas, welding, solar, appliance repair, iron work, and crane operation. The platform issues industry-recognized certifications (EPA 608, EPA 609, NATE Ready-to-Work, OSHA-10, CPO) and IACET-accredited diploma programs, sold via a $10/month individual subscription and a B2B seat-based subscription managed through an admin dashboard.

Product overview

SkillCat is a mobile-first online training platform offering over 150 simulation-based courses for trade careers. The core product is the SkillCat Mobile App delivering self-paced certification programs across HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, and Maintenance industries. The platform provides industry-recognized certification programs including EPA 608, EPA 609, NATE Ready to Work, OSHA-10, and CPO certification, as well as IACET-accredited diploma programs in HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing. Additional specialized training programs cover Oil & Gas, Welding, Solar Installation, Forklift Operation, Appliance Repair, Iron Work, Crane Operation, and Welding Inspection. The platform operates on a subscription model ($10/month) and issues over 1,500 certificates monthly with a 98% pass rate, serving over 300,000 students. For B2B clients, the SkillCat Training Dashboard enables companies to manage employee training, track progress, and assign learning plans, while the EPA Dashboard provides specialized tools for 90-day trainee access management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SkillCat Mobile App Mobile-first training application for iOS and Android delivering self-paced, simulation-based trade certification courses in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and maintenance for individual trade professionals and career changers.
• Trade Career Launch Programs Self-paced IACET-accredited online career certification programs covering HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades that prepare learners for entry-level trade careers within weeks at $10/month.
• EPA 608 Certification EPA Section 608 technician certification for working with refrigerants, delivered through the SkillCat app with AI-proctored exam (1-2 business day review) and verifiable digital certificate; about 1,500 EPA 608 certificates are issued every month.
• EPA 609 Certification EPA 609 certification program for technicians working with mobile air conditioning systems, delivered through the SkillCat mobile platform.
• NATE Ready to Work Certification NATE (North American Technician Excellence) Ready-to-Work certification offered in partnership with NATE, allowing users to study, prepare, and complete the certification from their phone; $60 for first attempt and $45 for retakes.
• OSHA-10 Certificate OSHA-10 construction safety certification delivered in partnership with ClickSafety on desktop, with about 300 certificates issued monthly through individually purchased employee courses.
• CPO Certification Certified Pool Operator certification program for pool maintenance and service technicians, delivered through the SkillCat mobile platform.
• HVAC Diploma Program Comprehensive IACET-accredited HVAC career diploma program covering residential and commercial HVAC systems; about 350 diplomas are issued monthly.
• Electrician Diploma Program Electrician trade school program covering residential and commercial electrical work that prepares students for industry certification.
• Plumbing Diploma Program Plumbing trade school program covering residential and commercial plumbing systems, accredited for career certification.
• Oil and Gas Training Courses Online oil and gas industry certification courses covering drilling operations, well servicing, and safety with IADC RigPass, IADC Intro Well Control, and IADC Awareness Well Control certifications delivered via 3D virtual simulations and the talent network.
• Forklift Certification Forklift operator certification training covering forklift basics, types, operating procedures, hazards, inspections, and OSHA requirements, with 3D simulations for hands-on learning and a 7-day free trial.
• Welding Apprenticeship Welding apprenticeship training program covering welding techniques and skills for trade careers.
• Solar Installation Training Solar panel installation training covering solar electrical installation, PV systems, module assembly, and pool fundamentals.
• Appliance Repair Training Appliance repair training program for technicians seeking to service and repair household appliances.
• Iron Worker Training Iron worker apprenticeship training program for structural steel and rigging work.
• Crane Operator Training Crane operator certification training for construction and industrial settings.
• Maintenance Training General maintenance technician training covering preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair skills for facility and building maintenance.
• Welding Inspector Certification Welding inspection certification program for professionals seeking to verify and quality-control welding work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ students enrolled in Trade Career Launch Programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NATE (North American Technician Excellence)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025SkillCat partnered with NATE to make the NATE Ready-to-Work certification accessible through SkillCat's mobile app. Users can study, prepare for, and complete the NATE certification entirely from their phone. SkillCat's team verifies the learner's photo ID and submits results to NATE, which then emails the official certificate directly to the user on a weekly Monday cycle.
• EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)coreOthers · 1 November 2020SkillCat is an official EPA-authorized certification provider under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, listed on the EPA's Section 608 Technician Certification Programs list since November 2020. This authorization allows SkillCat to issue legally recognized EPA 608 certifications to HVAC/R technicians, which are verifiable on the EPA's website and SkillCat's verification portal.
• ClickSafetycoreTechnology or IntegrationClickSafety is SkillCat's partner for delivering OSHA training and certification. OSHA courses are accessed through ClickSafety's platform via the SkillCat desktop site. Users complete OSHA training and download certificates from ClickSafety, which is accessed via a ClickSafety training window opened from within SkillCat. SkillCat earns referral/integration value while ClickSafety handles OSHA compliance content delivery.
• Oil & Gas Employers (Talent Network)minorOthersSkillCat has partnered with leading Oil & Gas companies that are actively hiring. After users complete IADC certification training, they have the option to join SkillCat's talent network, which connects them with oil and gas employers. Companies source new hires from this pool of proven, trained candidates.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Interplay Learning: Interplay Learning delivers 3D simulation-based training for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and multifamily maintenance trades. It overlaps directly with SkillCat's simulation-led trade certification approach and competes for the same contractor and individual-technician customer base.
• ClickSafety: ClickSafety (part of Ascend Learning) is SkillCat's OSHA training partner and also a direct OSHA-10/30 provider in its own right. It is comparable because it owns the regulatory content and delivery relationship that SkillCat relies on for OSHA revenue.
• 360training: 360training is an online regulator-approved training provider offering EPA 608, OSHA, and other trade and safety certifications. It competes head-to-head with SkillCat on the same core credentialing programs (EPA, OSHA) for both individuals and enterprise compliance buyers.
• Penn Foster: Penn Foster is an accredited online trade school offering HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and construction diploma programs on a subscription/term-based model. It competes with SkillCat for the same career-changer and trade-school-averse learner, but at higher price points and longer durations.

Others

• Udemy Business: Udemy Business is a broad online learning marketplace and enterprise platform used for technical and vocational upskilling. While not a trade-certification specialist, it competes for enterprise L&D training budgets that SkillCat targets through its B2B dashboard.

Broad incumbents

• Ashworth College: Ashworth College offers accredited online vocational and trade programs including HVAC and electrical. It competes with SkillCat's diploma offerings at higher price points and serves the same self-paced, work-adjacent learner profile.
• ToolingU (Festo): ToolingU by Festo is an established manufacturing and skilled-trades training provider serving industrial employers with broader manufacturing and maintenance content. It competes with SkillCat in the B2B workforce training layer, especially for maintenance and technician upskilling.
• Lincoln Tech: Lincoln Tech is a long-standing for-profit trade school with HVAC, electrical, welding, and automotive programs that has been expanding online and hybrid offerings. It is comparable because it serves the same target learner (career-changer entering the trades) but with campus-based, higher-priced programs.

Emerging players

• Workera: Workera is an AI-driven skills assessment and credentialing platform for technical roles, used by enterprises to benchmark and upskill workforces. It is comparable to SkillCat's skills-assessment and certification layer, though primarily focused on tech rather than skilled trades.
• Merit America: Merit America is a workforce-development non-profit that delivers short, job-focused training programs to underemployed adults seeking skilled jobs. It overlaps with SkillCat in the upskilling/career-launch segment and often partners with employers for cohort-based training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCq9DT02F7042O2lhkyezInw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SkillCatApp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/43232276
• Instagraminstagram.com/skillcatapp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SkillCat